Akeena, PG&E Supply Power for Schwarzenegger’s Inaugural

Akeena Solar and PG&E received some great exposure last week by helping to provide 100 percent carbon neutral energy to power California Governor Schwarzenegger’s “Leading the Green Dream” Inaugural Celebration in Sacramento last week. Solar power captured and delivered by an Akeena-installed 3 kilowatt solar system joined with biodiesel and purchased carbon credits to help power the afternoon-long event.

With the California Solar Initiative going into effect on January 1, and the inaugural focusing on the initiative, Akeena and PG&E positioned themselves as leaders in helping California residents meet the CSI challenge. CSI has the goal of installing one million residential solar power systems over the next ten years. These systems would provide the state with 3,000 megawatts of solar power, the equivalent to six large fossil fuel generating plants.

The system provided for the Governor’s inaugural celebration was a typical 3,000 watt (3 kW) system -? enough to provide the electrical needs for a typical California residence. At current prices and incentive levels, a system like this would have an economic break even in about eight to twelve years, according to Akeena.

“We are proud to partner with the Solar Industry and the Governor to make California the leading solar power state in the nation,” said Tom King, CEO of PG&E. “The Solar installation provided by Akeena Solar to power the Governor’s ‘Leading the Green Dream’ Inaugural Celebration provided a real-world demonstration of renewable energy that we can all use today.”